Scots will miss Smith and Mather

SCOTLAND coach Matt Williams admits the loss of Tom Smith and Cameron Mather is a huge blow ahead of their trip to Rome to play Italy tomorrow.

The pair failed to recover from respective hip and ankle injuries and were replaced by Edinburgh duo Allan Jacobsen and Allister Hogg.

Scotland (v Italy, Rome tomorrow): B. Hinshelwood (Worcester); S. Danielli (Bath), T. Philip (Edinburgh), B. Laney (Edinburgh), S. Webster (Edinburgh); C. Paterson (Edinburgh, capt), C. Cusiter (Borders); A. Jacobsen (Edinburgh), G. Bulloch (Glasgow), B. Douglas (Borders), S. Murray (Edinburgh), S. Grimes (Newcastle), J. White (Sale), S. Taylor (Edinburgh), A. Hogg (Edinburgh).

Replacements: G Kerr (Leeds), R Russell (Saracens), N Hines (Edinburgh), J Petrie (Glasgow), M Blair (Edinburgh), A Henderson (Glasgow), D Lee (Edinburgh).